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My other half recently completed a local authority mini-bus course in which the instructor told her that seven-seater vehicles (e.g. most MPVs, and some 4x4s) are classed as mini-busses and so are allowed to use bus lanes. I understood that a minibus must have at least 9 seats by definition, and so I find it hard to believe that a seven-seater is a mini-bus.

I need to find something definitive because we're getting a seven-seater in the near future and I'd hate to see my wife pulled because of someone's bad advice. I've tried searching Dft and DVLA sites, but returned only heaps of unintelligible dross.

Any pearls of wisdom as to whether my wife or I are right?

TIA,

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Will

Absolutley not.

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Speed camera policy Kills

I found this PDF which suggests you are correct.

According to the Highway Code it is covered by the RTRA 1984, unfortunately the HMSO online library only goes back to 1988.

Minibusses 9-16 passangers.

http://www.dvla.gov.uk/drivers/vehicle_cat_desc.htm#Minibuses

Many thanks. FWIW, I've just engaged brain and found the same definition in DVLA booklet D100. So, I can now prove to my wife that she isn't allowed to drive an MPV in bus lanes, no matter what her instructor (from the local bus company) said

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Will

Most bus lanes are only for the use of scheduled services, so would not be available to tourist coaches either.

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"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed